Danse Macabre: Valse Diabolique

A ground-breaking treat for mystery and classical music lovers, the audiobook of Elias’s first novel, Devil’s Trill introduced a new kind of listening experience, with violin performances by the author providing clues throughout.

Now acclaimed author/violinist Gerald Elias is back, bringing more music to his gripping second novel in the Daniel Jacobus mystery series, Danse Macabre, also narrated by Jim Frangione.

Just after his Carnegie Hall swan song and before his imminent departure for retirement in France, beloved violinist and humanitarian Rene Allard is brutally murdered with a mysterious weapon. His young African American rival, crossover artist BTower, is spotted at the scene of the crime hovering over the contorted body of Allard with blood on his hands. In short order the aloof and arrogant BTower is convicted and sentenced to death, in part the result of the testimony of blind and curmudgeonly violin pedagogue Daniel Jacobus, like millions of others, an ardent admirer of Allard. Justice has been done...or has it? Jacobus is dragged back into the case kicking and screaming, and reluctantly follows a trail of broken violins and broken lives as it leads inexorably to the truth, and to his own mortal peril.

“A musical feast for mystery and music lovers.” ―Library Journal (starred review)

“There are riveting insights into violin bowing, maestros' mannerisms and the interpretation of musical scores.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Jim Frangione embodies the grizzled music-instructor-turned-gumshoe Jacobus. Violin performances by the author sprinkled throughout provide clues. Slow burn suspense...” AudioFile Magazine

Music Credits

Danse Macabre by Camille Saint Saëns Gerald Elias, violin; Jason Hardink, piano

Sonata in A Minor, Op.47, “Kreutzer” by Ludwig van Beethoven Gerald Elias, violin; Jason Hardink, piano

String Quartet in F Major, Op.135 by Ludwig van Beethoven The Lydian String Quartet

Quintet in G Minor, K.516 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Abramyan String Quartet; Lucia Lin, violin

Quintet in F Minor, Op.34 by Johannes Brahms Abramyan String Quartet; André Schub, piano

Quintet in A Major, D.667, “Trout” by Franz Schubert Rockport (MA) Chamber Music Festival, David Deveau, piano 2014